High-tension-wire tool



April 8 1924; 1,489,377

c. R. WOOD ET AL HIGH TENSION WIRE TOOL Filed Dec. 8, 1921 Patented Apr. 8, teas.

CECIL B. WOOD A 3D LMELVIN T. TIPSORD, 0 TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS HIGH-TENSION-WIR-E T0014.

Application filed December 8, 1321. Serial No. 520,940.

-To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, CECIL R. lVoon and MELVIN T. Trrsonn, citizens of the United States residin in the city of Ta lorville county of Christian, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in High-TensionfiVire Tools, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a-ppertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tools of the kind that are used by linemen when working on electric wires that carry high tension currents.

The main object of the invention is to provide a set of linemens tools for high tension wires that comprises a long pole or operating handle and a group of tools constructed in such a manner that each tool can be arranged in operative position on said pole, one of said tools consisting of a cutter that can be used for severing a high tension'wire, another a wire gripper that can be used for holding a high tension wire in a certain position or out of the way of a lineman who is working on a pole cross-arm, another a cotter key-puller that can be used for Withdrawing a cotter-key from an overhead bolt, another a boltpuller that can be used for withdrawing a bolt that is used for securing an overhead insulator to a supporting element, and another an insulat r holder that can be used for holding and moving an insulator into a certain position after the securing bolt for said insulator has been withdrawn.

Another object is to provide a wire cutting tool or a wire gripping tool that can be actuated from a point some distance away from the wire on which the tool operates and which is constructed in such manner that there is no liability of kinkingor bending the wire during the operation of actuating the tool.

And still another object is to provide a bolt puller which is so constructed that a lineman can move an overhead bolt vertically, either upwardly or downwardly, and also horizontally, either to the right or to the left, while standing at a point some distance away trom the bolt. Other objects and desirable features of the invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 oi. the drawings is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, or" the Fig. 3 is a sideelevational view 01" the wire gripper;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the cot ter-key puller;

Figs. 5 and 6 are a top plan view anda side elevational view, respectively, of the bolt puller; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the insulator holder.

Linemen who are required to work on electric wires carrying high tension currents use tools that are connected to long poles or operating handles of insulating material, on account of the great danger of getting in close proximity to a high tension wire. Heretofore each tool of a linemans set of high tension wire tools was permanently connected to or combined with an operating pole or handle. Accordingly, a set of five tools of the kind generally used on high tension wires comprises five long poles or operating handles, thus making the set so cumbersome that it is difiicult for one lineman to carry or transport the set from one place to ancarry the complete set, owing to the fact that he only has to carry a single operating pole or handle.

The complete set preferably comprises a wire cutter shown in Figs. 1 and2, a wire gripper shown in Fig. 3, a cotter-key puller shown in Fig. 4:, a bolt puller shown in F igs. 5 and 6, and an insulator holder shown in. Fig. 7. The wire cutter and the wire gripper are similar in general design and principle or". operation, in that each ofsaid tools comprises a pair of pivotally mounted members, a supporting element for said pivotally mounted members provided with a screwthreaded shank that projects into an internally screw-threaded hole in a head piece on the upper end of the operating handle or pole of the set, and a means on Said shank adapted to be operated by the turning of the head piece on the operating handle for actuating said pivotally mounted members. Preferably the wire-cutter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is composed of two pivotally mounted members A, a supporting member B to which the members A are pivotally connected, an externally screw-threaded shank C on said supporting member that is adapted to be screwed into an internally screwthreaded hole in a head piece D rigidly connected to the upper end of a long pole or operating handle E of insulating material, and an actuating device F, preferably a tapered or cone-shaped member, loosely mounted on the shank C in such a manner that when the head piece D on the operating handle rotates in one direction, said device F will engage oppositely-inclined surfaces 1 on the pivotally mounted members A and move said members in a direction to cause cutting edges 2 at the upper end of the members A to co-operate with each other to sever a wire positioned between said cutting edges. Preferably friction reducing element G is arranged between the head piece D on the operating handle and the underside of the tapered or cone shaped actuating device F so as to reduce the friction between said parts when the head piece D rotates, thus eliminating the possibility of the wire being kinked or bent due to a twisting action of the cutting members A. Any suitable type of friction reducing element may be used, but we prefer to use a friction reducing element composed of a horizontally-disposed plate arranged between the top face of the head piece D and the underside of the actuating device F and provided with a number of balls as, similar to those used in a conventional ball-bearing, thatturn freely in said plate when the head piece D rotates, and thus eliminate the possibility of the head piece D exerting a twisting strain on the actuating device F or on the cutting members A engaged by said actuating device. To use the wire cutter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for severing a high tension wire, the shank C of the tool is screwed downwardly part way into the head piece D on the in clockwise direction so as to screw the shank C farther into the head piece D, and

thus move the actuating device F upwardly relatively to the pivotally'mounted members A. As said actuating device F moves upwardly in engagement with the oppositely inclined surfaces 1 on the members A, it

forces the cutting edges 2 of said members towards each other, and thus causes said cutting edges to sever the wire. Owing to the fact that a friction reducing element G is interposed between the actuating device F and the head piece D on the operating handle, there is no possibilityof the actuating device F or the cutting members being subj ected to a twisting strain sufficiently to bend or kink the wire.

The wire gripper shown in Fig. 3 also comprises a supporting member B provided with an externally screw-threaded shank C that is adapted to be screwed into the head piece D on the upper end of the operating pole or handle, and pivotally mounted members A that are adapted to be operated by an actuating device F loosely mounted on the shank C and separated from the head piece D on the operating handle by means of a friction reducing element G; but the pivotally mounted members A of said wire gripper are provided at their upper ends with co-operating wire engaging or clamping surfaces 2, one of the members A being provided at its extreme upper end with a lateral projection 3 arranged in such a position that it will lap over the upper side of the wire engaged by the co-operating surfaces 2" on said members. If it isdesired to move a high tension wire or hold a high tension wire in a certain position, the wire gripper shown in F 3 is mounted on the operating handle E by screwing the shank C of said tool' downwardly into the head piece D on the operating handle and said operating handle is then manipulated so as to position the wire between the co-operating surfaces 2 on the pivotally mounted members A. Thereafter the handle E is turned to the right or in. clockwise direction so as to cause the actuating device F to'move the members A in a direction to cause the co-operatingsurfaces 2 thereon to V rinly grip or clamp the wire. After the wire has been gripped it can be moved in the desired direction or held in the desired position by manipulating the operating handle E, it being impossible for the wire to slip out of the tool, owing to the fact that the wire is completely surrounded by cooperating portions of the tool and is firmly clamped by the members A which can only be separated by a reverse turning movement or rotary movement in anti-clockwise direction of the operating handle E. If desired, the wire gripper may be provided with an expansion spring arranged between the pivotally mounted members A and designated by the reference character 3 in Fig. 3, so as to insure the members A moving out of clamping engagement with the wire when the operating handle E is rotated in a direction to back off the actuating device F.

One type of insulator that is commonly right or to the left.

used with high tension wires is supported partially by a supporting element to which a metal part on the insulator is secured by a bolt that passes transversely through said metal part and supporting element and which is locked in position by a cotter key that passes through a hole in the end of the bolt. The tools shown in Figs. 4C, 5, 6 and 7 are adapted to be used in the operation of removing an insulator of'the type above referredto. The first step in the operation of removing such an insulator is to withdraw the cotter key above mentioned. To do this the cotter-key puller shown in Fig. 4 is mounted in'the head piece D of the operating handle, said cotter-key puller consisting of a horizontally-disposed shank H provided at its opposite ends with pointed projections 4: of. such size that either can be insertedin the eye of a conventional cotter key and provided midway its ends with a depending, externally-screw-threaded shank C shown in broken lines in Fig. d, that is adapted to be screwed into the head piece D on the operating handle. After said cotter-key puller has been mounted on the operating handle it -is a simple matter for a lineman to withdraw the cotter key in the retaining bolt of an overhead insulator by simply inserting one of the pointed projections 4 of the tool in the eye of the cotter key and then manipulating the operating handle in a direction to withdraw said cotter key. The next step is to withdraw the bolt from the overlapped portions of the means thatassists in sustaining the insulator in position. This is efiected by means of the bolt puller shown in Figs. 5 and 6 which is then substituted for the cotter-key puller. Said bolt puller is so constructed that it can be used for moving a bolt vertically either upwardly or downwardly and also for moving a bolt horizontally either to the It consists of a horizontally-disposed member I provided at one end with a horizontally-disposed jaw 5 and at its opposite end with a vertically-disposed jaw 6, said member I having a depending,

'externally-screw-threaded shank C that is adapted to be screwed into the head piece D on the upper end of the operating handle E. The jaws 5 and 6 are bifurcated so as to receive the shank of a vertical bolt that projects' upwardly or downwardly, as shown in full and broken lines in Fig. .6, and to receive the shank of a horizontal bolt that projects to the right or to the left, as shown in full and brokenlines in Fig. 5. After the cotter key has been withdrawn from the bolt the end of the bolt is struck a blow so as to drive the bolt part way out of the devices through which it passes, and the operating handle E is then manipulated so as to force one of the jaws of the tool over the head of the bolt. Owing to the fact that the tool is so constructed that it can be used for-moving a bolt in any one of four different directions, it makes it possible for a lineman located some distance away from i an overhead insulator to easily withdraw insulator into a position where it is safe to work on it or to detach it from the hook or link from which it is suspended, the insulator holder shown in Fig. 7 is substituted for the bolt puller used in the previous operation. Said insulator holder consists of a substantially forked or yoke-shaped member J that can he slipped over the insulator and a dependingfexternally screw-threaded shank C on said member that is adapted to be screwed into the head piece 1) on the upper end of the operating handle. After said insulator holder has been mounted on the operating handle the lineman can grasp the insulator with the tool and manipulate the handle so as to move or hold the insulater in a desired position.

A set of tools of the construction above described can be conveniently carried by a lineman, owing to the fact that the com plete set comprises only one pole or operating handle. Moreover, such a set-of tools makes it possible for a lineman to work on high tension wires with maximum safety, as the wire gripper shown in Fig. 3 is of such a character that it is impossible for a wire gripped by same to slip outof the gripper, and the cotter-key puller, the bolt puller, and the insulator holder shown in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, are of such construction that a lineman can easily disconnect an overhead insulator and move it into a safe position wlt-hout coming 1n close proximity to a high tension wire. The wire cutter shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in addition to being constructed in such a mannerthat it can be.

easily connected to and disconnected from IOU an operating pole or handle common to agroup or set of high tension wire tools, is so constructed that there is no liability of twisting orkinking the wire during the op eration of cutting the wire; the wire gripper shown in Fig. 8 also has this desirable characteristic, namely, it is impossible for the pivotally mounted memberswtliat grip the wire to twist or turn sufliciently to kink the wire when the operating pole is being rotated. v i

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A linemans tool, comprising a supporting member, a movable wire-engaging member onsaid supporting member, an operating pole or handle, means for detachably connecting said supporting member to said handle, and means for causing said wire-- engaging member to engage the wire being operated on when said handle is rotated.

52. A linemans tool, comprising a supporting member, a movable wire-engaging member on said supporting member, an operating handle, means for detachably connecting said supporting member to said handle, and means whereby rotary movement of said handle in one direct-ion causes said wire-engaging member to act on the wire and rotary movement of said handle in the opposite direction permits said member to move out of engagement with the wire.

3. A linemans tool, comprising a supporting member, a pair of pivotally-mounted wire-engaging members on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle, means for detachably connecting said supporting member to said handle, and means whereby rotary movement of said handle with respect to said supporting member causes said wire-engaging members to rock on their pivots 4;.A linemans tool, comprising a sup porting member, a pair of movable wire-engaging members on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle, a part on said supporting member detachably connected to said handle, and a device on said part adapted to be actuated by the rotary movement of said pole in one direction for operating said wire-engaging members.

5. A linemans tool, comprising a supportingmember, an operating pole or handle, an externally screw-threaded part on one of said elements that projects into an internally screw-threaded hole in the other element, a wire-engaging member on said supporting member, and a device operated by the rotary movement of said pole for actuating said wire-engaging member.

6. A linemans tool, comprising a pair of wire-engaging members, a supporting member on which said wire-engaging members are mounted, a screwthreaded shank on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle provided at its upper end with a part into which said shank is adapted to be screwed, and means whereby the rotary movement of said operating pole in one di rection causes said wire-engaging members to be forced into engagement with the wire being operated on.

7. A linemans tool, comprising a wire engaging means, a supporting member that carries said means, a screw-threaded shank on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle provided with a head piece that has an internally screw-threaded hole therein for receiving said shank, an actuating device on said shank which efi'ects the operation of said wire-engaging means when said operating pole is turned in one direction, and a friction reducing element arranged between said actuating device and the head piece on said operating pole.

8. A linemans tool, comprising a pair of wireengaging members, a supporting member on which said wire-engaging members are pivotally mounted, an externally screwthreaded shank on said supporting mem ber, an operating pole or handle connected to said shank in such a manner that rotary movement of said pole causes it to move longitudinally of said shank, and a tapered actuating device loosely mounted on said shank and arranged in engagement with said pivotally mounted wire-engaging members in such a manner that it will actuate the same when said operating pole is rotated.

9. A linemans tool, comprising a pair of wire-engaging n'lembers, a supporting member on which said wire-engaging members are pivotally mounted, an externally screwthreaded shank on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle connected to said shank in such a manner that rotary movement of said pole causes it to move longitudinally of said shank, a tapered actuating device loosely mounted on said shank and arranged in engagement with said pivotally mounted wire-engaging members in such a manner that it will actuate the same when said operating pole is rotated, and means for preventing said wire-engaging members from being subjected to twisting strains when said operating pole is rotated.

10. A lineman s tool, comprising a pair of wire-engaging members provided with opp sitely-inclined surfaces, a supporting member on which said wire-engaging members are pivotally mounted, an externally screw-threz-ided shank on said supporting member, an operating pole or handle provided at its upper end with a head piece having an internally screw-threaded hole therein for receiving said shank, a tapered actuating device loosely mounted on said shank and adapted to co-operate with the oppositely inclined surfaces on said Wire-' engaging members, and a friction reducing element interposed between said actuating device and said head piece.

CECIL R. WVOOD. MELVIN T. TIPSORD. 

